Mac OS X

One of the recent security holes that Apple dug itself into recently was the mishap that resulted from its lack of attention to the Java runtime for OS X, whereby leaving it unpatched for over a month allowed the Flashback malware to take advantage of many OS X systems. Since this incident, Apple appears to be paying more attention to security updates for its supported Java runtime.

Today Oracle released a new version of the Java runtime, and while in the past Apple has lagged a number of weeks behind Oracle's releases, the company was hot on the heels more

The sudden disappearance of Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro laptop after yesterday's WWDC keynote provoked split opinions on CNET. Photographers and videographers will weep, some said. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display has more pixels and will be a great replacement, said others.

Whichever way you slice it, potential suitors of the 17-inch Pro suddenly find themselves looking for a new partner. Alas, here's what you'll soon discover: most 17-inch laptops on the Windows side are "gaming laptops," built clunky, bulky, and leaning toward power over battery life.

(Note: yes, commenters, I agree. Of all Windows laptops, the HP Envy 17 would probably be the closest match. HP still sells the 17-inch version, and it costs as little as $1,249 on HP's website. However, we haven't reviewed the current 17-incher: for the closest equivalent, see our review of the HP Envy 15.)

Here are the closest equivalents we've reviewed at CNET, but you'll rapidly realize that none of them perfectly match what the Pro offered.

Don't have 112 minutes to watch the video of Apple's Monday presentation from the WWDC? While we all wait for someone to compile the one-minute version of the press conference, CNET has put together some of the big highlights from the show.

We've crunched it down to 30 photos of big features and products shown off during the presentation, which opened WWDC. That includes Apple's new notebooks, last minute Mountain Lion features, and the unveiling of iOS 6.

Of course if you want a complete rundown of what happened yesterday, you can get that from us more

It didn't make the stage during the Apple WWDC keynote, but Apple rolled out a stealth upgrade to its Aperture 3 professional photo organization and editing software. Aperture 3.3 includes a variety of stability and performance updates as well as interface tweaks; the biggest news is that the application now supports AVCHD video files.

Some of the changes sound like they're designed to make Aperture a little more consumer friendly. For instance, it now has better iPhoto integration, with Faces, Places, slideshows, albums and web sharing operating without any import or export, and you can now name more

Following the announcement of Apple's Thunderbolt Ethernet and FireWire adapters to accompany its latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air offerings, Apple issued a small software update for existing computers that will allow them to properly use Apple's new adapters. Apple made this update available via Software Update so many would automatically install it on their systems, but unfortunately for many people this update has resulted in kernel panics and the inability to boot their systems.

In some cases, at startup the system will appear to boot normally but then issue a gray screen with the instructions to hold more

Those of you who couldn't catch Apple's WWDC keynote yesterday can now watch the entire event as an online video.

Apple's has posted a stream of the keynote available directly via its Web site. The video covers all the presentations, complete with details about Apple's new and refreshed Macs, iOS 6, Mountain Lion, and other assorted products. You can see it all, starting with the intro and corny jokes from Siri and ending with Tim Cook's closing comments.

All you need to view the video is your friendly neighborhood browser and a dose of the more

Part of Apple's keynote address at WWDC this morning was a demonstration of its new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro systems, which have not only done away with optical drives but have also streamlined other I/O offerings. In order to save space in its systems, Apple has combined USB 2.0 and 3.0 connections, but has also fallen to relying on its Thunderbolt connections to provide the I/O connectivity from older Mac systems.

As the MacBook line has evolved over the years, Apple has attempted to remove legacy ports from the systems, including the Ethernet port more

Apple has released an update to iTunes that addresses a few outstanding bugs in the program and adds support for Mountain Lion.

According to the update's Web page, the update improves performance and addresses problems involving syncing with a first-generation iPad that holds an iBooks textbook; photos syncing out of order; and unexpected deletions of apps and iTunes playlists.

In addition to these fixes, the update adds support for the iOS 6 beta that was released to developers today at WWDC 2012. The update is a 170MB download for OS X users, but is also available for Windows (both more

In Apple's keynote address at the WWDC 2012 conference, developers received a "near final" developer preview of Apple's upcoming Mountain Lion OS to test their apps before the OS is released in July. As the release date for Mountain Lion draws nearer, Mac users have wondered what the requirements are for the upgrade and what they should do to prepare for it.

Apple has yet to release detailed specifications on the system requirements for Mountain Lion; however, specifications from its developer releases have suggested that most Intel-based Macs should be able to run the OS, provided they both more